About Jodi M

It’s no secret to many of us that the nature of agriculture and food supply is changing world-wide. While I am certainly not an “organic” only shopper or eater, I do like to be aware of where my food comes from and I do place importance on supporting a more local, organic approach to eating.

The problem is systemic and I am not going to argue for one side or the other because in reality-as with most things in life-accountability is individual. We truly vote with our dollars. ALWAYS. EVERY DOLLAR YOU SPEND IS A VOTE IN FAVOR OF A PRODUCT, A COMPANY AND A PRODUCTION STYLE.

I’ve come to the opinion that many of our present day issues (environmental, social, political, etc) are the direct result of simply too many people in the world. I believe this to be the case with food supply and agriculture. There are simply too many people to feed. Ingenious engineers and scientists have risen to the challenge and have managed to develop seed that grows larger, faster and easier. Successful (albeit unscrupulous) seed corporations and mega-farms have been generously rewarded (and rightfully so) for producing the world’s daily bread.

Well, first of all-I stopped buying Canola oil. It’s not good for me, anyway. Here’s why.

Secondly, I make an effort to not consume. Overall. What I mean is simply not buying so much stuff.This seems so simple, but in the US culture that is what we do-buy stuff. That’s what fuels our economy. Buying stuff. And we do it so well!

Every time I think about anti-consuming, I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World: “Ending is better than mending. The more stitches, the less riches”. Certainly in the US, we have been thoroughly conditioned to believe this to be true. Even my own husband, a non-US native, was embarrassed by the patched I sewed on the knee of my son’s school uniform. He promptly bought him some new pants.

Finally, in my consumption, I try to always keep in mind that EVERY DOLLAR I SPEND IS A VOTE IN FAVOR OF A PRODUCT, A COMPANY AND A PRODUCTION STYLE. When at all possible I try to research my purchases and choose the best, most responsible option. If you are interested in doing the same thing here is a guide to start with:

As part of my mission to raise bilingual and bi-cultural children, I love taking the family to community and cultural events. It’s not only important, but an absolute necessity that a bilingual child be exposed the a second language/culture from many angles in order to value the relevancy of the language in every day life. The following is a list of many of the organizations/businesses that host events that I keep on my radar. Most (if not all) of these events are family friendly. The list in an evolving work in progress.

Voz– an organization that empowers immigrants and day laborers to gain control over their working conditions through leadership development, organizing, and community education

KBOO Community Radio (90.7 fm in the Portland area) Every Sunday from noon to 7pm is programming in Spanish of interest to the Portland area

PCUN Radio Station-Oregon’s Farmworker Union Radio Station out of Woodburn, Oregon has children’s programming (think Alvin and the Chipmunks in Spanish) on Saturdays from 2-5 pm. You can stream it here.

Even though I live in one of the most economically fortunate countries in the world (in many ways), saving money is not easy. Growing up I never wanted for the necessities and even had enough extra for vacations, air conditioning, restaurant dinners-pretty much anything. I had never really thought about the planning and saving that my parents did in order to make that kind of lifestyle possible. Now I know.

My husband is from rural Mexico. There were times growing up where he had no shoes. His family is thankful for a meal of beans and tortillas. Sometimes for weeks on end that is was all they ate.

As you can imagine, the challenge of coming to an agreement with our own personal finances is tremendous. I have certain expectations with respect to lifestyle, I want to plan for the financial future. I suspect that my husband feels guilty spending money on things, imaging how his family in Mexico has (and likely still is) suffering to put beans on the table. The idea that you can put money aside, with no intended purpose or need, is foreign to him.

Antonio Aguilar, an iconic Mexican singer and actor, wrote a well-known song, Un Puño De Tierra. It could be my husband’s credo. The chorus of the song goes like this:

So, I was fascinated to find out that in his region of Mexico, it is common to particpate in a Tanda, which is a grass-roots savings/credit plan. Here is how it works:

Say you need $400 right now for whatever reason (home repair, medical reason, a burial). You get 3 other people to each participate in a Tanda, person A, person B, person C and person D. Each person agrees to put in $100 each week for 4 weeks. In week one person A receives the Tanda, thereby receiving $300, plus their own $100. In week two person B receives the Tanda and in week three person C receives and so on until everyone is paid back.

I know, I know. Your brain is thinking “What’s the incentive? Shouldn’t people be paid back $110?” But this is the beauty of it! A Tanda is created out of need, not greed and the spirit is truly one of generosity and cooperation within the community.

Creative and resourceful, huh? A Tanda could be created with any number of people, any length of time and any dollar amount. Default probably isn’t a big issue in a small town where you would be hounded relentlessly if you didn’t follow through with your end of the deal.

Thank you for your letter. You asked a very good question: “Are you Santa?”

I know you’ve wanted the answer to this question for a long time, and I’ve had to give it careful thought to know just what to say.

The answer is no. I am not Santa. There is no one Santa.

I am the person who fills your stockings with presents, though. I also choose and wrap the presents under the tree, the same way my mom did for me, and the same way her mom did for her. (And yes, Daddy helps, too.)

I imagine you will someday do this for your children, and I know you will love seeing them run down the Christmas magic stairs on Christmas morning. You will love seeing them sit under the tree, their small faces lit with Christmas lights.

This won’t make you Santa, though.

Santa is bigger than any person, and his work has gone on longer than any of us have lived. What he does is simple, but it is powerful. He teaches children how to have belief in something they can’t see or touch.

It’s a big job, and it’s an important one. Throughout your life, you will need this capacity to believe: in yourself, in your friends, in your talents and in your family. You’ll also need to believe in things you can’t measure or even hold in your hand. Here, I am talking about love, that great power that will light your life from the inside out, even during its darkest, coldest moments.

Santa is a teacher, and I have been his student, and now you know the secret of how he gets down all those chimneys on Christmas Eve: he has help from all the people whose hearts he’s filled with joy.

With full hearts, people like Daddy and me take our turns helping Santa do a job that would otherwise be impossible.

So, no, I am not Santa. Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness. I’m on his team, and now you are, too.

In my quest to make holidays meaningful for my family, I find myself researching age appropriate crafts for my kids to make as gifts and decorations.

I found this easy Valentine’s Day craft on Surviving Motherhood and made one with my 4-year old. She loved it and plays with it and it is a cute reminder of our love for each other.

While I love the idea of passing out Valentine’s cards as a way to take a moment to show each and every person your love and appreciation, I am not a fan of the cookie-cutter 30-per-box punch-out cards (now with candy!) that are commonplace today. Here a few creative alternatives:

Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon – a statewide association of Christian denominations —including Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox bodies—congregations, ecumenical organizations and interfaith partners working together to improve the lives of Oregonians through community ministry pograms, ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, environmental ministry and public policy advocacy.

Adelante Mujeres – working to educate and empower low-income Latina women and families. We provide low-income Latina women and families the tools to achieve self-determination in the areas of education, empowerment and enterprise.

Elders in Action – To assure a vibrant community through the active involvement of older adults

TRUCE – Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment (TRUCE) is a national group of educators who work to counteract the harmful impact of media and marketing on children.